KEIR Starmer's request for Hamas to release "the sausages" instead of "the hostages" went viral on Tuesday as he was addressing the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas.
Starmer made the slip while speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
Starmer, who was calling for restraint and de-escalation along the Lebanon-Israel border, then turned to the Gaza conflict.
"I call again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the return of the sausages," he said, before quickly correcting himself to "the hostages." His words were met with applause from the audience.
He continued by urging a recommitment to the two-state solution, advocating for a recognised Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.
Shortly after the slip, the video went viral on X (formerly Twitter), becoming the second most-shared content by Tuesday evening.
Starmer demands the return of the sausages from Gaza pic.twitter.com/fRAFr8Pb4R
— Alex Nunns (@alexnunns) September 24, 2024
The British media were quick to highlight Starmer's mistake. The left-leaning Guardian described it as a "gaffe," while the right-leaning Daily Mail referred to it as a "faux pas."
Starmer was referring to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which escalated following Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October last year.
This conflict has since led to Israel's ground invasion of Gaza. Recent tensions have also brought Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, closer to a full-scale conflict.
(With inputs from AFP)
Passengers board a Bee Network bus at Stockport Interchange in Stockport, Britain, July 14, 2026. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja